carpet shampooer

[myraandjim]

I'm going to have to buy a carpet shampooer but have no idea where to start with deciding which one to buy. Does anybody have any tips on choosing a make / model etc. My carpets are quite grubby, courtesy of 2 dogs, so it needs to be pretty efficient. Thanks

[bitsnknots]

A couple of years ago, we bought a Vax carpet shampooer which is very good.  

[ilove2patch]

I bought a Vax & it's useless!

[bitsnknots]

Sorry that you had problems with yours Maggie but we've never had a problem with ours.

[stroppy*cow]

We have a Vax, an upright. It is just a shampoo-er, not a multi function one, but you can use it to suck up liquid spills.

It does a great job, doesn't take forever to set up or to empty, but it is really really noisy. The Vax brand shapoo can be quite expensive, but they also do a formula especially for homes with pets.

[ilove2patch]

Mine won't suck up the water properly. Probably broken.

[cat-knitter]

I can't remember what mine is, its a hoover pro  "something"
Its great & easy to use ....  but VERY heavy.

[023mjc]

I have an upright vax which is brilliant. The only gripe I have is that it's rather heavy.

ilove2patch - One thing I have noticed, when you put the dirty water tank on sometimes it doesn't fit at the right angle. If you can get your fingers underneath the front it won't suck up. The front of the unit needs to be touching the floor, (no room for fingers), to create the vacuum.

I recently had 3 inches deep water in my car due to a leaking sun roof. I used the uphostery tools on my vax to suck it all out and it was brilliant. Much quicker than trying to bail it all out with sponges.

It was also very easy to get a spare part when I needed one. I would definately buy another.

[ilove2patch]

Thanks for the tip Maz but I think it might have a blockage as the water tank hardly empties whan I try to use it. 

[ed_blackadder_1]

I have a Vax as well it is also just a shampoer if there is such a word. It is brilliant if not very noisy. Ours has a heater so it dries quite quickly, But we have 2 dogs and it does the job well.
We buy the shampoo from ebay and it's a lot cheaper. It cost us nearly 300 pounds but it is money well spent.
That reminds me I must do our living room when I am off.

[myraandjim]

thank you all for your help, looks like a Vax i the most popular so think I will go for that. The dogs have been very muddy this year (they look for the muddy puddles) and I want to put the house up for sale, the carpets are not the best anyway but look better for viewers than no carpets at all. I had thought of replacing all floor coverings, but think it would make more sense to reduce the price a bit and let the buyers choose their own carpets etc.  I have got a huge clear - out to do before I dare have the house valued, will be keeping the local tip busy!! 

[chickengrandma-2008]

I always borrow my daughter's shampooer, which is a Vax.  I asked to borrow it about 6 weeks ago and the whole family turned up with it.

Daughter suggested we take the dogs to the rec, and when we got back son in law had nearly finished the carpet in question.  She admitted they'd arranged it beforehand.   It (and he) did a good job.

Much better than owning my own!! 

[bitsnknots]

Reminds me that I'll have to get our Vax out on bedroom carpet but not yet.  It can wait a while.